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Dave Holt

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Blog Entries posted by Dave Holt

  1. Dave Holt
    It's been rather a long time since my last entry, leading to some queries if I and the project are doing OK. Well, I'm fine but the layout has been in abeyance for quite a while because I allowed the prospect of hand scribing all the cobble to over-face me and off I went on my full size restoration work. I'm still involved with that but have had a bout of renewed enthusiasm for the layout and modelling in general recently.
    As a result, there's been progress with the layout, the latest loco and some coach conversions (from OO to P4).
    On the layout, I found that the remaining areas of cobbles hadn't scribed themselves in the intervening period so I knucked down to it and finished the lot in a couple of weeks!
    The next job is to paint them. As I recall from my youth, cobble stones in the North West tended to be a pale buff colour (rather than granite coloured) and the joints filled with tar, so I am thinking of a grey/brown acrylic paint with a very thin wash of dark grey/black which, hopefully, will settle in the scribe lines - like panel lines on military models. Better try out this on some spare card before committing to the layout!
    The final arrangement of cobbles extends over two of the base-boards but I forgot to photograph the two together before I split them and put the sections away for Christmas visitors. However, I did take a few shots of the main station board, which allows comparison with the previous photos. Unfortunately, the scribing doesn't show up too well on the white card, but you can get the idea. The cut out strip next to the run round in the loop line is to accommodate two rows of wooden sleepers. I imagine these were installed to make it easier to access the chairs in case of track maintenance. Photos of Delph show these quite clearly and also the fact they were only applied at this one place. Otherwise, the cobbles go right up to the side of the rails.
    First, a couple of shots from the buffer stops:
     

     

     
    And one looking the other way. The join where the next board connects follows the coarses of the cobbles not the base-board joint. When assembled, the join is fairly neat and not too intrusive.
     

     
    One issue which has arisen is that the "ash"" ballast I used has faded from dark grey to a fawn sort of colour, so some unexpected painting will be required at some stage. Oh well.
     
    Dave.
  2. Dave Holt
    Hope this works - continuing the story of my layout and workbench. On the old RMweb thread (which I no longer appear to be able to access), I had posted regarding the setback experienced when the paper track plan which I had stuck to the cork underlay and on which I had intended to lay the track, wringled up very badly with the recent damp weather. The following photos show the trial fitting of the station throat pointwork on the track plan.
     

     

     

     
    Fortunately, the wrinkled paper came away quite well and did not damage the surface of the underlay, although it did reveal a few areas where the cork was not well adhered to the base-board top. Following removal, I have had to mark the track position directly on the cork and this stage is shown below.
     

     

  3. Dave Holt
    Apologies to those who managed to find this update and request for help in the history during the recent posting problems, but here it is again. Better luck this time?
     
     
     
    A bit more progress with the coal drops, this week.
     
    For the first time since before Christmas, I've been able to access the workshop and trial fit the coal drop deck with the rails attached. Fortunately, the alignment with the track already fixed either end was very good, although a packing shim (.020" plasticard) was required at the LH end to get the top of the rails level at the joint. The trial fitting also allowed re-checking of some dimensions which affect the scenic part of the drops - the retaining walls. These photos show the deck in position.
     

     

     
    I've also cut the LH end stone retaining wall from Wills coarse stone sheet. This is shown below, with a photo of the real thing behind. I really could do with a bit of help here from someone who remembers the drops in working order.
    In the 1991 photo, there are obviously modern concrete steps leading from the coal yard area (then a car park - now a road/houses) up to the goods yard level, complete with a right-angle turn near the bottom. The capping stones on the upper part of the wall look original, so my questions are:
    - were there earth or stone steps originally, or just a steep path?
    - was the right-angle turn there or did the original just carry on straight down next to the wall to ground level?
    I have a copy of an old photo which shows some sort of access way up the side of the drops, but I can't make out if there were steps or not and the lower section is obscured.
    Any help answer these queies would be most gratefully received.
     
    Anyway, here's my effort so far.
     

     
    Finally, I've finished the wall at the RH end where the deck sat. This wall is split, with the inner section, directly under the deck, on the base-board which carries the drops and the outer section on the adjacent (station) board. Hopefully, the joint won't be too visible when the boards are assembled.
     

     
    This post seems to have dropped off the end, so please forgive me re-posting as I really would appreciate any help with the questions raised.
     
     
    Unfortunately, no one seems to remember any details of these drops, so I'll plough on with something "in the spirit of" rather than a scale model - which will fit in with my "model based on Delph", not an exact replica approach.
     
    I've now made the cosmetic brick support pillars which took the deck and divided the cells. The structural supports are MDF and built into the layout, as previously illustrated, so these are made from plastic sheet to replicate the bricks with stone block bearing pad inserts. Being white cards at present, the details don't show up too well in the photos, but these might give some idea of progress.

    Here's the deck balanced loosely on the 5 pillars which are more or less in the right positions. At this stage, the ends of the pillard had not had the brick card applied
     

    A closer shot of one end, where a bit more detail is visible
     

    Two of the pillars with the end faces completed.
     
    Next job is to paint (or crayon - see Barrowroad blog) to represent a sooty, coal dust encrusted condition. Help!!!!!
     
    Dave.
  4. Dave Holt
    Having brought the coal drop board home from the workshop, I've been able to make better progress with the stone retaining walls, in comfort! The brick pillars and stone retaining wall sections in between and at the ends are now ready to be coloured (not sure if to paint or try the crayon technique being used by Barrow Road on his excellent loco shed buildings). Anyway, had a trial fit of all the bits which are on this board (the RH wing wall is on the next - station - board). Couldn't resist placing the deck and putting a few unfinished coal wagons over the cells to visualise how it might finally look.
     

     

     

     

     

     

  5. Dave Holt
    Have made a start on the stone retaining walls for the coal drops. These were along the back and both ends of the drops and also a section set back at an angle where the road entrance was located. The walls were of coarse stone and appear to have been a 76.2 times scaled-up model of the Wills coarse stone plastic sheets!!
    So far I have cut the basic wall facing sheet along the entrance section and part done the right-hand end wall. Later this will be split into two sections, one each on the two base-boards which a have a joint in this area. Hope I'll be able to paint and weather this stonework to match the magnificent station and goods shed which Gravy Train has made for the layout.
     
    Here's a couple of shots of the two Wills sheets loosely set up on my work table. Visible in the background is a photo of the real thing I took in 1991. My wife, Sue, is standing roughly in the middle of the right-hand end wall, acting as a 21 mm scale rule!
     

     

     
    Unfortunately, the Wills sheets are too short for the longer wall, so it has a joint which I've tried to disguise by carving of the stones. Hopefully, when painted this won't be too obtrusive. Also, where the corner joint occurs in the wall, the moulded stones didn't quite suit, so some smaller or very short ones have been replaced by plain Plasticard pieces carved to roughly match the moulded sheet - those are the white bits on the corner. Again, when painted, hopefully not too visible.
     
    Happy New Year and good modelling in 2010 to all.
     
    Dave.
  6. Dave Holt
    Following a couple of days break attending the Wells Finescale show (helping(?) Robin Whittle and the team with Bristol Barrow Road), Today I got round to function testing the control panel - as much as I can without it being connected to the layout, at least. Everything appears to work as intended but I was puzzled why the LED's indicating the route set by lever No. 4 weren't illuminated whereas the similar LED's for lever No. 8 worked fine.
    Then it dawned that until connected to the Tortoise point motors there was no circuit (No. 8 has a ballast resistor associated with the facing point lock). I then realised that I could simulate connection to the Tortoise by temporarily connecting a ballast resistor between the point motor feed and one side of the 16 v AC supply. As I made the cannection there was quite a spark and I noticed that the 12 v DC power LED had gone out. I then noticed that several other LED's no longer worked. Oops, lesson learned. Don't make temporary connections to live circuits or when the panel is powered up. Fortunately, I had plent of spare LED's and it didn't take too long to replace the damaged ones.
    All working OK again, now!
     
    In between finishing the panel wiring, I have been working towards finishing a couple more ex-LMS Period III open brake coaches made for me to finish off, by Coachman. These are to diagrams 1916 (6 bay) and 2008 (5 1/2 bay) and appeared at ends of an enthusiast special that visited the branch, hauled by an ex-L&Y Class 27 0-6-0.
    The work to complete includes making & fitting the interior, fitting the roof and connecting the water tank filler pipes, spung buffers and making & fitting the P4 bogies.
    The D1916 is now done, as shown below:
     

     
    The interior for the D2008 is currently being painted.
  7. Dave Holt
    Not much visible progress with the layout recently, so in view of some recent interest in Caprotti fitted locos on RMweb, I thought I'd post a few photos of my effort - BR Standard 5, number 73129 - intended to work my Wakes special (for the North Wales coast). I think it's fair to say that Caprotti fitted locos were not well liked by footplate crews during the BR era, being regarded as weak on banks but fast on the level and good coasters. The super performances by Duke of Gloucester in preservation have disproved this view which was probably due to lack of familiarity and a sharper exhaust than normal locos leading to working at too short a cut off. Not that these issues apply to our models.
    Anyway, Patricroft shed ended up with all the English allocation of these locos and one of these was the last BR steam loco I saw in everyday service - the west end (Horse Dock?) pilot at Manchester Exchange in 1968. I spent a pleasant half hour on the footplate chatting to the fireman whist waiting for my (Peak hauled) Newcastle bound train.
    Possibly for this reason, I've always had a love of these locos.
     
    The model is based on a DJH kit but using milled main frames from Alan Gibson. In fact, the only DJH bits on the whole chassis are the cylinder /steam pipe castings, the slide bars, brake hanger/brake block etches and the return crank gear box castings. The valve gear shafts, complete with representations of the universal joints were made from various diameters of brass rod and tube. The injector casting are Alan Gibson and the pipework, lubricator and valve gear support brackets, etc., all home made.
     
    The photos were taken by Barry Norman and i must apologise for the poor quality reproduction. This is due to way I've scanned them in and re-sized the files not any fault with the original photos.
     
    First some shots of the finished loco:
     

     

     

     
    Now some taken during construction:
    The front bogie frame, showing the hollow pivot tube which was later soldered into the chassis spacer between the cylinders. A pin passes down the pivot tube to transmit the weight from the bogie external compensating beams to the front compensating beam in the chassis. This arrangement allows full compensation of the front bogie wheels without the bogie frames moving vertically. The bogie slides sideways with rubbing pads on the bottom of the mainframes resting on the "ears" protruding either side of the bogie frames. Light springs resting on the bogie axles keep the frames pushed up onto the pads. Hairpin side control springs centralise the bogie on the pivot tube. A bit complicated, perhaps, but it works really well and is applied to all bogies on my locos.

     
    Now some shots showing how the cylinders and valve gear are made up from sub-assembles which are held together by small screws (14 BA, if I remember correctly).
    First the cylinders with slidebars and connecting rods:

     
    Next the main drive shafts. This unit fits on top of the cylinder unit. Part of the exhaust injector steam feed pipe is included - the "S" shaped piece of brass tube!:

     
    Then the reversing gearboxes and shafts. The long, separate shaft is from the cab to the valve gear:

     
    When it's all assembled to the top of the chassis, the valegear looks like this:

     

     
    At the rear end of the chassis, on the right hand side, there is the rather distinctive lubricator mounting and drive. The lubricator bracket is quite massive and has the steam feed from the blast pipe to the exhaust steam injector passing right through the bracket, or rather the lubricator bracket incorporates a tube which forms part of the exhaust steam supply pipe. On the model, sections of this pipe are attached to bits of the valve gear, as seen above, and some to the chassis mainframes. The injector castings are Alan Gibson. This shot has the brake gear removed. Also visible are the dummy springs, sand pipes/brackets, ash pan and hopper operating gear and the pick ups - all mounted to a removable keeper plate which retains the driving axles. The motor is a Portescap 1616 fitted with an MJT gearbox conversion. The electrical connection to the motor, via bits of gapped copper-clad sleeper strip glued to the gearbox side plates, has since been modified to include a DCC chip.

     

     
    The brake gear is made in two sections. The "herring bone" main section with the brake hangers, which clip onto the chassis mountings and is easily removeable to get the wheels out. The rear section with the operating lever is attached to the chassis by screws, below the cab:

     
    The complete chasis, unpainted, looks like this:
    From underneath

     
    and from above:

  8. Dave Holt

    Delph max

    By Dave Holt,

    As a follow-up to my entry the other day, I've added the next board along - with the coal drops. This is the maximum length of the layout I can erect on the floor without moving furniture around, so the station platform board is not attached. I haven't started the fiddle yard.
    In use, the layout is high enough (1400 mm to rail level - quite high) to go over the furniture, but I haven't made a start on the support structure so far.
    Having these boards connected allows the point rodding runs and crank, compensator and stool positions to be determined.
     
    Similar shots as last time, but with the extra board - beginning to give a sense of the overall size and space.
     

     

     
    Dave.
  9. Dave Holt

    Delph push-pull trains

    By Dave Holt,

    I see Coachman has started this subject in his coach blog. Not to be outdone, here's a couple of photos of an ex-LNWR push-pull diagram M15 driving trailer with a BR conversion of an ex-LMS Period II open third and a Lees breadvan (Fowler 3MT 2-6-2 tank) in charge. By all accounts, the coaches might have done better on their own! The prototype photo is by H Casserley and the model photo by me. Can you spot which is which?
    The M15 is one of a series made for me by Coachman (and without which a realistic model of Delph would be virtually impossible), the Period II is by me from a modified Comet kit. Both beautifully painted by Coachman. Loco from a heavily modified Gibson kit, built by me and painted/lined by Ian Rathbone.
     

  10. Dave Holt

    Delph visitors.

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Not much active modelling recently, but i took advantage of the good weather to take a section of the layout into the back garden and pose a couple of trains.
    First up, we see the part completed Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109, having arrived with a returning Wakes Week holiday excursion.


    Then a more prototypical push-pull train, hauled/propelled by BR Standard Class 2 tank, 84012.


    Dave.
  12. Dave Holt

    Future project?

    By Dave Holt,

    Having run out of steam getting the Black 5 chassis painted and not sure how to proceed with the Ivatt tank, I thought I might do some planning (scheming) and some preliminary work on a future project - a Brassmasters Re-built Royal Scot.
    To add interest and a bit of a challenge, I decided to fit the model with working inside valve gear. The kit provides most of the prototypical frame stretchers but makes no provision for the inside cylinder or valve gear. My representation is not going to be exactly to scale but should be a fair representation using as many spare etched and other parts from various kits and left-overs, modified to represent the Scot parts as near as practicable.
    Here are a few photos showing progress to date.
    Frame plate marked out for inside cylinder

     
    Inside cylinder laid roughly in position.

     
    Inside cylinder with front section of valve gear in position.

     
    Rear portion of valve gear, temporarily inserted into the mounting bracket, which will be attached to the rear face of the (kit) motion plate.

     
    Connecting rod fixed to the cross head and located in the cylinder. Again, front portion of valve gear attached.

     
    Dave.
     
  13. Dave Holt

    More track & trains

    By Dave Holt,

    Track laying continues, but progress is quite slow. I thought plain track would be quite easy, and I suppose it is technically, but it still takes an age. Progress is not really helped by my attempt to replicate the 60 ft and 30 ft track panels used on the real thing. It appears that only the main platform road was 60 ft, all the other being 30 ft. To achieve this, all the sleeper ties on the flexi-track have to be removed and sleepers moved along to the correct spacings. I've already marked the position of the rail joints as near as possible from the Templot track plan. All this cutting and sleeper moving takes time. Then there's a limit how many jar-weights I have to hold the track down whilst the glue dries and there's the ply sleepers with panel pins to be soldered at the board edges......
     
    Anyway, I've now got most of the track in position on the station throat board - just the loop head shunt left to do. Meanwhile, a Delph motor train arrived, hauled by the Fowler Cl 3 2-6-2 tank and consisting of M45 driving trailer M3419M and M12 non-driving trailer M3425M - both beautifully modelled by Coachman. Thanks Coach!!
     

     
    Overall view of the station throat track-work. Lead filled jam jars on the coal drop road whilst glue dries.
     

     

     
    A taste of things to come. Typical 1950's motor train crosses the curved diamond which gives access to the mill siding.
     
    Dave.
  14. Dave Holt

    Nearly there.

    By Dave Holt,

    After contemplating sprung intermediate buffer, due to practical considerations, an executive decision was made - fixed W/M buffers!

    The tender is now complete and has temporarily been connected to the loco. The latter has had some fine strips added to the rear edge of the fall plates, to bridge the gap to the tender.


    Still got to fit locating pins to the loco number and shed plates but, otherwise, I think it's finished ready for painting.
    Here is the finished loco, face to face with a later class mate.

    Dave.
  15. Dave Holt
    I'm working on the point operating mechanisms for the layout just now. In the connections from the Tortoise motors to the TOU's, I'm intending to fit omega loops or Z sections to allow for any over-travel of the motor output bar (I'm using the Exactoscale conversion units). Any suggestions about suitable wire gauge and approximate dimensions to be sufficiently flexible not to wreck the TOU/switch blade actuators but still hold the switch blades hard against the stock rails?
     
    Cheers,
     
    Dave.
  16. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Previously posted as a future project, this has turned into the current project.
    Quite a bit of progress has been made with the chassis which now has the wheel sets in. Still rather a lot to do, but it is coming along.
    Here are some views of the frames with the wheel sets, including the inside crank.

     

     

     

    Dave.
  17. Dave Holt
    Progress has slowed recently due to warm weather and some health issues. However, the loco is now complete except for the smoke deflectors and cab side cinder guards. The tender is well advanced, the main outstanding tasks being fitting the axlebox/spring castings and completing the front platform and draw bar.
    Here we see the current state of play.

     
    Dave.
  18. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109 - Pt 8

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Well, the Scot is now complete except for some details to be added after painting. The last parts to be added were the smoke deflectors which, to my eyes, make quite a difference to the overall look of the loco.
    Here it is, connected to the tender, prior to disassembling to cleaning and painting.

     Dave.
  19. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109 - Pt2

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Since the previous post, the brake gear, under cab pipework and the basic footplate have been assembled and temporarily assembled, as shown in the last photo. This is the current state of play.
    Pipework underneath the cab - complete except the injector overflows.

     

     

     
    Chassis and footplate assembled.

     

     
    Dave.
  20. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109 - Pt3

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Quite a bit of progress has been made on the chassis. Despite some setbacks, this has now reached the stage where the inside and outside valve gear is all complete and temporarily fitted. The outside cylinder/valve gear assembly still need the rear cylinder relief valves re-fitted (I had to remove them because they were interfering with full forward travel of the combination levers) and drain cocks to be added.
    Here we see nearly everything reassembled to see how it looks and check for any clashes.

     

     
    Dave.
     
  21. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109 - Pt4

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Apart from the motor/gearbox torque restrainer and the pick-ups, I think the chassis is now complete. The last cosmetic items fitted were the front foot steps and bracing struts and the two injector overflow pipes.
    All the parts have been re-assembled, partly to check the assembly sequence. After inserting ten 14 BA screws into the keeper plate, I discovered that the eccentric strap cannot be fitted into the sheaf unless the axle is partially withdrawn from the horns - somewhat frustrating but, hopefully, I'll remember for the future. With the keeper plate split in two (a mistake I now realise) and entwined with the brake rigging and the exhaust injector steam pipe floating around, it's a bit of a fiddle to get everything into place so the screws can be fitted. Three pinged out of the tweezers but were later retrieved, much to my relief.
    Here we see both sides and the under side and top.

     

     

     


    Dave.
  22. Dave Holt

    Rebuilt Royal Scot, 46109 - Pt5

    By Dave Holt,


    4 mm, P4
    Progress continues at a slow(ish) pace. Since the last entry, the main visual change has been fitting the boiler (still loose at the moment), which required the removal of quite a lot of resin to pass over the motor and sit down on the splasher tops/footplate.
    Recently, I've been working on the lubrication system, sand boxes/fillers and some initial boiler fittings.
    Here's a couple of overall views of the loco in its current state.

     

     
    Dave.
  23. Dave Holt
    The model continues to develop.
    The boiler is now fixed to the footplate and all the lubrication pipes, lubricators and atomiser are done, as is the brake ejector and associated piping - except the steam pipes from the cab.
    Here's the current state of play.

     

     

     
    Dave.
  24. Dave Holt

    Some recent progress

    By Dave Holt,


    P4
    Following the near completion of the Royal Scot, I have been working on the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2 tank which has been on and off for literally years. Mods and detailing of the body has come quite a long way, though there is still more to do.
    However, this loco and the Black 5 model have reached the point where the chassis have had the basic painting done and the chassis both re-assembled. Further weathering will be required to give some variation and blend with the weathered bodies, some time in the future. I'm holding off fully finishing these locos as I want to have them part dis-assembled for my loco construction demo at this years Scaleforum.
    Here are the locos in their current condition.

     
    Dave.
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